August 30, 2018

Banned CSGO Player AZK Finds New Life in Overwatch

With Team Liquid’s announcement of entering competitive Overwatch, former CSGO professional player Kevin “AZK” Lariviere will be making the jump into Blizzard’s new shooter game.

The CSGO player, who formerly played on iBUYPOWER, received a lifetime ban by Valve from participating competitive CSGO events.

In early 2015, Valve banned members of then iBUYPOWER and NetCodeGuides.com for participating in match-fixing. In total, some $10,000 worth in skins and stickers were involved in the transactions among the players complicit.

While the community gave mixed reactions as to the length of the ban, AZK said that he felt that his lifetime restriction from CSGO was deserved and that he is looking forward to start anew in Overwatch.

In a statement on Team Liquid, AZK said:

“Even though I realize that I hurt the scene that I enjoyed so much, the only way I know to prove that I’ve changed is through competition. I know that many of you are skeptical about me participating in esports again, but I swear to do it right.”

Liquid co-owner Victor “Liquid`Nazgul” Goossens said in the same statement:

“What he did in CS:GO is one of the worst offenses a professional gamer can ever commit. The punishment for this needs to be taken very seriously and I am glad Valve has paved the way as a publisher by stepping in with research and judgment to ensure a healthy environment for all aspiring gamers…”

“…It has put us in a spot with this team where we had to seriously think about our course of action. After speaking at length about the situation with AZK as well as dummy we are ready to move forward with this team. Eighteen months later and in a different game, we feel confident it is time for a second chance and new opportunity, and we are excited to see what AZK does with it.”

AZK will join players from Overwatch competitive team, Life of Hanzo. The teams is composed of players with backgrounds in other shooters, namely Quake, TF2 and Counter-Strike.

Team Liquid’s new Overwatch roster competed at the ONOG Overwatch Invitational. They lost 0-2 to VET and were knocked out of the lower bracket team IMPULSE 11.

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